Tastes

It has happened: Glendronach is releasing travel retail exclusives. So, i cannot longer say this is my hipster whisky, but i can certainly keep my opinion, that Glendronach makes the best whisky there is. I am a fan, and a very paranoid one. Therefore, i was a little scared when they released this, i thought quality will be bad and this will be the first step into ruining my favorite distillery. I was mistaken. This 10yo expression, called Forgue because that is the name of the village where the distillery stands, is a very well crafted whisky and one you can buy without regrets. Bottled at 43%abv, tawny color. On the nose: Dark chocolate, Plums, Vanilla powder; Certain citrus aromas like oranges, Grapes and Candied fruits. Vanilla cookies, Hazelnut. There is this overall sweetness with no alcohol note. After first sip maraschino cherries appear. Great. On the palate, it is very tropical, unlike any other Glendronachs. Spicy, Orange juice, Pineapple and Tropical fruits. Aftertaste is great. Tobacco notes; Bitter. Burnt dry grass, Lovely rewarding finish. Even a puff of smoke can be found. Overall this is a great whisky for $60 and for its age. Is a good expression to open the doors of this distillery to travel retail exclusives. 89 over 100.

While in quarantine, i decided to open one of my samples, and i got to say i didn't even know how much a full bottle costs, which i believe it helped me to write this sample without any hype of the price. It actually costs around 1500 dollars (i have seen it for less in some auctions) and there are only 2017 bottles of it (or at least they were). Bottled at an astonishing 63.2%abv, this is so well crafted that you really don't perceive it is that high in alcohol by volume. Golden color. On the nose: red chilli, vanilla essence, Bloody Mary, Peat, grass, cigar box, dark chocolate, caramel, sulphuric notes also appear, bronze, metalic, lime, and hints of smoke. SO COMPLEX. On the palate, it is delicious. Old oranges, chocolate, dulce de leche, maraschino cherries. There is this aroma of the cortex of chocolate brownies that you smell when baking them. Amazing stuff. Aftertaste is powerful. Maybe too powerful. Ginger, peat, grass, cigarrettes, tobacco, wasabi, mint. This whisky shows us how complex a dram can be. I don't think it is worth 1500 dollars, it would be fair at $250-300. Still a great, complex dram. My score for it is 92 over 100.

Glenfarclas is your typical Speysider. Every one of its expressions will give you a fruity, gentle light dram. The best part of this distillery is that most bottles are not expensive, and it is a balanced nice dram. Personally i prefer stronger, bolder whiskies, but i can deny there is a strong market for this type of whiskies. Bottled at 43%abv, golden color. The Nose is the best part of it, mantaining the typical speysider traits, but definitively no sherry as described in the bottle. The first note that hits you is a strong yellow apple aroma, which is the most recognizable one. Vanilla, fondant and lemon pie after the first sip. Thick caramel is great here. Very fresh, no alcohol note at all. Cinnamon also present. On the palate is way too light. Specially for a 43%abv. Apples and honey, but very watery. There is an oak spice and nutty notes, but overall it feels too watery. Aftertaste is good, with burnt hay and mild pleasant tobacco note, from some small peatiness. Vanilla is present and ginger spice. Pleasant and long, well crafted aftertaste. Overall this is a good dram for around 110$, you can't normally find a 21yo at that price, and i don't know if that is good or bad when describing this whisky. My score for it is a fair 86 over 100; and my final take on it is that it is way too similar to their other expressions, particularly to the 25yo. Oh! Almost forgot! No sherry at all, i did not find any on this one.

My final review on the "Ballantine's Single Malt series" is the home of Ballantine's itself: Glenburgie. Is in this distillery that Pernod Ricard blenders make the popular Ballantine's, and they have of course their own single malt. This time is another 15yo expression. The Distillery is well known for Geese who guard the whole place, and they tend to attack strangers. Bottled at 40%abv. On the nose: another super speysider. Toffee, Vanilla, Banana, Caramel, Honey, Sider. On the palate, honey and cereal. Like the honey Corn Flakes for breakfast. Aftertaste has a dry grassy note, with more honey. Overall this is a very nice dram, specially if you are a honey lover. 83 over 100.

Campbeltown whisky, where scottish whisky was born. Only three distilleries are working there nowadays, and i got to say that i haven't tried much from this region, but every time i had one it has been great. This was no exception. A beautiful dram, very balanced and well crafted. Bottled at 46%abv. On the nose it is where things are a little weak. Lemon, Peat, Burnt hay, Prunes, Grapefeuit. Its a citric rare whisky, Very acetonic. On the palate, the rollercoaster of great flavors start. Ashy, Super fresh; Citric and Balanced. Aftertaste is mildly Peated, some notes of Prunes and "Ashy citric cigarretes". Amazing really. Overall if you want an interesting dram that gives you peatiness and fruitiness, with enough flavor and capability to surprise you, this is a good option. 89 over 100.

Surprising to say the least, i didn't expect anything from this one. Feels like a younger whisky than the 12yo labeled in the bottle. Bottled at 40%abv with a yellow gold color. On the nose you get the most of it, with prune peel, vanilla cream, earth (dirt), grape branches, cabernet Sauvignon wine, nutty and medicinal notes. Almost perfumed. On the palate is a little hot and harsh, but manages to deliver. Main notes: Honey, wood (oak), almonds, cereal, oranges, and spices in a pleasant way. Finish is spicy and hot, long and full, one of its perks. Medium bodied, and mostly hot, this is a fair dram. 80 out of 100.

In my trip to Scotland one of the gems i found was Glen Garioch. Never had one of their whiskies before and now, after 3 expressions, i believe they have become a trending topic in my mind when thinking of a having a dram. First of all, a little background here: you don't pronounce Glen "GARY-OCK", it is pronounced "GLEN GEERIE". Having said that, this distillery has a lot of history: it was founded in 1797, by the Mason Family who lost the distillery and re-bought it several times; one of the Mason brothers discovered that Malaria was spread by mosquitoes, and during world war ii the british soldiers slept in the premises using it as a military base. Also this was the first distillery to use gas to heat up the copper stills. Well, lets talk about this expression, the 1797 founders reserve, which i believe is a rather new whisky, but it has a lot of flavor and it is very enjoyable, specially for a NAS. Bottled at 48%abv, tawny color. On the nose: Red fruits, Strawberry, Tobacco. Very Winey. Grape juice delicious aroma. Caramel. On the palate: Caramel, Grapes, Raisins, Oak spice. Nice balance between the vanilla flavors and the dehydrated fruits. Chocolate. Aftertaste is great also.Vanilla and tobacco leaf. Oak spice. Some Herbal notes. Clove. Very enjoyable. Overall for $45, this is a great whisky. Would recommend it easily. 88 over 100, balance is the keyword here. Sláinte!

A very good whisky, very balanced without been anything too special. Bottled at 40%abv with an amontillado sherry color. On the nose, coffee, brown sugar, chocolate, toasted caramel, sherry notes and grapes. On the palate, it is hot but not that much, notes of spice, lots of oak, ginger and peper, with a short-medium liquorice finish. Overall i give this one an 88 over 100, nice but a little boring on the palate.

My second Famous Grouse, another hit. This is without a doubt the best blended scotch if you measure price vs quality. 40%abv, tawny. On the nose, Raisins, Wedding cake, Mint, Bronzer, Cake, Blackberry jam. Very good. On the palate, it is ashy, peppery but also red fruits that makes this one a special dram. The aftertaste has a clove note that starts dim but grows over time. Overall, this dram is delicious and deserves an 88 over 100. It is cheap so pick this one up.

Ok. You might think im crazy but i am unbiased here. This 16 dollar blended scotch is very good. There has to be something going on in here, since it is a very famous and a best seller in scotland. It even has books written over it. Bottled at 40%abv this is a blended scotch, deep gold color. On the nose is very sweet, you can get most of its aroma because of some grain whisky that is inside the blend, because the corn and butter notes are easily identifiable. Letting it rest for a couple of minutes will rapidly give you vanilla cake, brownies, slight touch of cola that lost its gas, chocolate cupcake, and all those butter-made deserts. Lovely. On the palate is where i was most sceptical, but it surprised me. More butter, cereal, old wood, a little pleasant hotness, pepper, tobbacco and ashes, are the main notes. The body is medium; but the aftertaste was very interesting, it left me a spicy, phenolic sensation that takes your breath away, literally, making you feel poisoned for a second and then the spicyness kicks in a full mouth experience. Amazing. Adding a single drop of water will kill any aromas, but the flavor should change into a more sweet expression, of chocolate, more butter and almonds, but with a shorter finish. Definitively something i would buy to drink like there is no tomorrow at a party, for all this interesting features and price: 84/100. Cheers!